Native Americans are a sovereign nation, meaning their tribes have the power to govern themselves like states do. That is why they can have marijuana resorts in states where it is illegal to cultivate and sell marijuana.

The Santee Sioux Tribe

The Santee Sioux tribe was the first to begin growing marijuana in an integrated operation for selling. The tribe of 400 planned to marijuana profits for housing, a clinic, and addiction treatments.

The tribe is located in South Dakota, where cannabis is illegal. After the tribes first weed crops began to grow they voted to suspend their marijuana operation.

The tribe was turning a former bowling alley into a marijuana dispensary and lounge but had to halt their plans after receiving heat from state officials.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said that any changes to the tribal law would only affect tribal members, meaning any tourists or non-tribal members smoking pot on tribal land still risked prosecution. The same goes for anyone returning to state land with marijuana in their system.

“After government-to-government consultation with the United States, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is temporarily suspending its cannabis cultivation and distribution facilities.

This suspension is pivotal to the continued success of the marijuana venture, and Tribal leadership is confident that after seeking clarification from the United States Department of Justice, it will be better suited to succeed.

The Tribe will continue to consult with the federal and state governments, and hopes to be granted parity with states that have legalized pot. The Tribe intends to successfully participate in the marijuana industry, and Tribal leadership in undaunted by this brief sidestep.”

The tribe then burned their first marijuana crops to remain on good terms with the federal government. Apparently, sources shared with the tribal officials that Feds were going to raid their operation in exactly two week.

A tribe in California was raided and had 12,000 cannabis plants seized, crumbling their entire operation. The Santee Sioux tribe is likely attempting to avoid a similar fate.

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs

The members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, approved a plant to build a facility on their reservation in central Oregon late last year.

“Our main purpose is to create jobs on the reservation and produce revenue for the tribes,” said Don Sampson of the tribes’ economic development corporation. “We think we will have a model other tribes will look to as they investigate this business and industry.”

Legal pot sales in Oregon have only begun this year so we’ll have to wait and see if the tribes makes the $26 million in revenue estimated by the end of this year.

The Final Hit

Since the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is operating in a legal state they might not get raided. However, dispensaries and grow operations in legal states have been raided in the past. With marijuana remaining federally illegal, it’ll never be completely safe for anyone to cultivate and sell marijuana without repercussions.

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There are five major cannainoids with some variants in medical marijuana that are particularly effective for relieving symptoms of illness, and each one produces different physiological and psychological effects. This is one of the main reasons why certain strains of medical marijuana are bred to have different amounts of each cannabinoid and are recommended for different conditions.

Major cannabinoids in medical marijuana

What is THC and its effects?

THC stands for delta-9-teetrahydrocannabinol. It is probably the best known cannabinoid present in medical and recreational marijuana. Physically it acts as a muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory and psychologically it acts as a stimulant. This makes medical marijuana strains high in THC a good choice for patients who need relief while also to remain alert and active.

THC in medical marijuana acts in the following ways:

• anti-epileptic
• anti-inflammatory
• anti-depressant
• stimulates appetite
• lowers blood pressure
• apoptosis (self induced cell death)

What is CBD and its effects?

CBD stands for cannabidiol and it actually reduces the psycholigal effects of medical marijuana. For most patients, a strain that has high THC and high cannabidiol will not have a great psychological impact but the physical ones are more. Medical marijuana strains high in cannabidiol, like Blueberry and Harlequin, are especially effective for illnesses with strong physical symptoms.

Cannabidiol’s effects include:

• reduced pain
• reduced anxiety
• reduced nausea
• sedative effects
• anti-convulsive
• anti-schizophrenic
• slows the spread of cancer

What CBN is and its effects?

CBN stands for cannabinol, not to be confused with Cannabidiol. Cannabinol is very similar to THC, but it has less psychological effects. It is produces as THC breaks down within the medical marijuana plant. High THC will make cannabinol’s effects stronger, and very high cannabinol concentrations can produce undesirable strong head highs.

Strains like Strawberry Haze and Blue Rhino, which can be particularly helpful for:

• lowering pressure in the eye (such as with glaucoma)
• analgesic
• anti-seizure

What is CBD and its effects?

Cannabichromene enhances the effects of THC. High cannabichromene levels will make a high-THC medical marijuana strain more potent.

Cannabichromene working together with THC is known to be a:

• sedative
• analgesic
• anti-inflammatory

What is CBG and its effects?

CBG is an abbreviation for cannabigerol. It has no psychological effects on its own, and is not usually found in high amounts in most medical marijuana. Scientists believe that cannabigerol is actually one of the oldest forms of cannabinoids, meaning it works in conjunction with the rest of the cannabinoids. It also have anti-microbial properties. CBG has physical effects such as:

• lowering pressure in the eye
• anti-inflammatory
• sedative
• sleep assistance

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Medicinal benefits of cannabis

1. Pain Relief

Studies show that THC activates pathways in the central nervous system which work to block pain signals from being sent to the brain. Likewise, cannabis has been shown to be especially effective against neuropathic pain, or nerve-related pain.

2. PTSD

People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another common reason to use medical marijuana. The high from THC is also associated with temporary impairments of memory.

While this may be as a drawback for some marijuana users, impaired memory is often therapeutic for those who struggle to forget painful memories, especially patients who suffer from PTSD. Recent studies have shown that oral doses of THC can help relief a variety of PTSD-related symptoms including, agitation and nightmares.

3. Nausea and Vomting

THC has been available as medication in pill form for treating nausea and vomiting in cancer patients since the 1980s.

A pill containing synthetic THC, called Marinol, was the first THC-based medication to be approved by the FDA for just this purpose. Since then, other THC pills have been developed and prescribed to patients undergoing chemotherapy, including a pill known as Cesamet.

4. Appetite Stimulant

THC is also known to work as a powerful appetite stimulant in both healthy and sick individuals. Marinol and Cesamet are regularly prescribed to boost appetitie in patients with cancer and HIV-associated wasting syndrome.

A number of studies conducted with Marinol suggest that THC can also stimulate weight gain in people suffering from anorexia.

5. Asthma

Medical marijuana might not seem safe for the treatment of asthma but as it turns out, THC’s ability to improve breathing in asthmatics is supported by research dating back to the 1970s.

Following trials that supported the research, scientists tried to develop an inhaler that could deliver THC but ultimately failed to do so. While the THC inhaler was abandoned, some say that modern-day vaporizers might be a solution.

6. Glaucoma

THC is also known for its potential to relieve eye pressure in patients with glaucoma.

After studies in the 1970s showed that smoking marijuana could reduce symptoms in glaucoma sufferers, scientist have tried to develop a way to administer THC in eye drops but they have failed. The idea proved to complicated due to the fact that THC is not soluble in water.

While some glaucoma patients rely on medical marijuana, The American Glaucoma Society maintains the position that its effects are too short-lived to be considered a viable treatment option.

7. Sleep aid

Many, both users and non-users, are aware of the sleep-inducing effect of marijuana, and research shows that THC is largely responsible. Trails conducted in the 1970s found that oral doses of THC helped both healthy individuals and insomniacs fall asleep faster.

Interestingly, more recent studies suggest THC may also improve nighttime breathing and reduce sleep interruptions in those who suffer from a common disorder known as sleep apnea. Researchers are currently working to develop a THC-based medicine for treating the condition.

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A similar bill, approved last year by the General Assembly, was allowed to die after Gov Bruce Rauner used his amendatory veto powers to propose tighter restrictions. The new bill, sponsored by Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, and approved Wednesday by the Senate Criminal Law Committee, incorporates the changes Rauner suggested.

Those include lowering the threshold for being ticketed rather than arrested for marijuana possession for quantities up to 10 grams. The original bill set the threshold at 15 grams, equal to about 30 joints.

The new bill also raises the range for fines to $100 to $200 from $55 to $125 and lowers the limit at which someone can be charged with driving under the influence of marijuana. Last year’s bill put the limit at 15 nanograms per milliliter blood, and the new measure would set it at five nanograms, the level Rauner suggested in his veto message.

Steans said the bill is aimed at “providing more consistent and fair enforcement and prosecution and cannabis possession across the state.”

The measure would also automatically expunge marijuana possession citations from people’s records every six months. It would not supersede local laws enacting fines for marijuana possession.

An assistant state’s attorney from Cook County, Brandon Nemec, said prosecutors support the measure.

“It’s very much a resource-based rationale for why we support this legislation,” Nemec said. “All too often, particularly in Cook County, we have a situation where an individual is arrested for a small amount of cannabis, they are sought to appear before a court, and the case is dismissed.”

These situations use up resources that could be better spent investigating and prosecuting high-lever drug crimes and violent offenses and “put someone into the criminal justice system with an arrest on their record,” he said.

One of the three Republicans who voted against the bill, is Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon.

Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, was one of the three Republicans on the committee who voted against the bill.

Righter, a former prosecutor, said he has questions about whether the legal system would still be able direct people who need it into drug treatment and how circuit court clerks would handle expungements.

Ralph Rivera of the Illinois Family Institute testified at the committee hearing that he shares the concern about people getting the intervention or treatment they need.

“We’re always concerned about what message it is for the youth,” he said.

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The initiative would ask Arizona voters to legalize marijuana for recreational use and establish a network of licensed cannabis shops where sales of the drug would be taxed.

The “Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol” is only a few thousand signatures away of gathering the 150,642 signatures it needs to qualify for the ballot, according to spokesman Barrett Marson on Wednesday. He also said that some signatures are likely invalid as it could be collected from people who cannot vote and the group aims to collect about 225,000 signatures.

Marson added: “Arizonans are clearly excited about this initiative.”

Many other individuals and groups are not so pleased about the initiative, including a group that has been educating the public about the negative effects of pot on children and society. The Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy has pointed to news articles and statistics and a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services survey that shows Colorado as a leading state of the nation regarding past-month cannabis use following its successful legalization in 2012.

Under the proposed Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, adults of 21 years and older could possess up to 1 ounce of pot and grow up to six plants in their homes without obtaining licenses, as long as the plants are in a secure area.

It would also create a legal distribution system that is similar to Colorado’s, where licenses businesses produce and sell marijuana.

The initiative would create a Department of marijuana Licenses and Control to regulate the “cultivation, manufacturing, testing, transportation, and sale of marijuana”. Local governments would be given the authority to regulate and ban cannabis stores. It would also establish a 15% tax on retail sales,with proceeds being used to fund education, including full-day kindergarten and public health.

Under the 2016 Arizona initiative language, driving while impaired would still be illegal, as would consuming marijuana in public and selling or giving the drug to anyone under the age of 21.

Taxation of the program would pay the state’s cost of implementing and enforcing the initiative. 40% of taxes on marijuana would be directed to the Department of Education for construction, maintenance and operation costs, including the salaries of K-12 teachers. Another 40% would be set aside for full-day kindergarten programs and the final 20% would go to the state Department of Health Services for unspecified uses.

Revenue from these taxes could not flow into the state’s general fun, allowing it to be utilized for other purposes.

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Indica vs Sativa

Indica

Indica cannabis plants usually have dens foliage and full-figured leaves, indica plants are mad to withstand a more hostile growing environment. They are a quite short and stubby, but their lack-luster appearance fool you; these plants are the best resin producers.

Originally native to the Kush mountain region, C. Indica is made to withstand much colder and more turbulent conditions. As the plant adapted to a harsh mountainous climate, it also developed the ability to produce thick cannabinoid-dense resin in order to protect itself.

In terms of potency, Indica’s are often very potent due toe their naturally high levels of THC.

Smoking Indica
If you’d like a common comparison, an indica is like a sleeping pill. It is great for people to struggle to get to sleep and they produce very sedative effects. Indica smokers often feel sleepy, relaxed, and they have a strong desire to eat.
Indicas also have a distinct skunky oder.

Growing Indica
Indicas are the plant of choice for indoor growers. Short, fast, and sweet, they are easy to grow and will quickly produce a crop. They only grow between 3 feet and 6 feet tall and their early flowering time is generally between 8 and 9 weeks.

Indicas are also known to have a deep purple color to their stocks.

Sativa

A sativa is like a cup of Joe compared to the indca. As for their appearance; a true sativa is a tall, scraggly looking plant with wiry stocks and thin leaves.

Sativas are native to the warm climates of Mexico, Central America, and Southeast Asia. The natural equatorial habitat of sativas means that these plants love the heat and outdoors. They normally grow between 8 and 12 feet high, but a healthy sativa can reach up to 18 feet tall in the right conditions.

Smoking Sativas:
A good sativa should be about as stimulating as a shot of espresso or even an energy drink. Typically used during the daytime, a sativa will energize you with their strong cerebral effects. Many marijuana lovers choose sativa when they’re looking for an uplifting and creative buzz.

Sativas tend to have a lighter, fruity aroma.

Growing Sativas
Due to the large size of sativas and because they are accustomed to warm climates, these plants produce the best yields when they are grown outside. Contrary to their stockier counterpart, sativas take a little while to flower. You can expect a flowering time of between 12 and 14 weeks.

In warm environments, it’s not unlikely for sativa buds to have a reddish shade of color. In colder climates, you can expect to see a purple shade.

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Facts about cannabidiol

CBD is a key ingredient in cannabis

Cannabidiol is one of over 80 compounds found in cannabis that belongs to a class of molecules called cannabinoids. Of these compounds, CBD and THC are usually present in the highest concentrations, and are therefore the most recognized and studied.

CBD and THC levels tend to vary among different plants. Marijuana that’s grown for recreational purposes often contains more THC than CBD.

By using selective breeding techniques, cannabis breeders have managed to create varieties with high levels of CBD and next to zero levels of THC. These strains are rare but they have become more popular.

CBD is non-psychoactive

Unlike THC, CBD does not cause users to get high. While this makes CBD a poor choice for recreational users, it gives the chemical a huge advantage as a medicine, since health professionals prefer treatments with minimal side effects.

CBD is a non-psychoactive because it does not act on the same pathways as THC. These pathways, called CB1 receptors, are highly concentrated in the brain and they are responsible for the mind-altering effects of THC.

CBD has a wide range of medical benefits

Although CBD and THC act on different pathways of the body, they seem to have many of the same benefits.

CBD reduces the negative effects of THC.

CBD seems to offer natural protection against the marijuana high. Numerous studies suggest that CBD acts to reduce the intoxicating effects of THC, such as memory impairment and paranoia.
It also appears to counteract the sleep-inducing effects of THC, which may explain why some strains of cannabis are known to increase alertness.

Both CBD and THC have been found to present no risk of lethal overdose. To reduce potential side effects, medical users may be better off using cannabis with higher levels of CBD.

CBD is sill illegal

Even though CBD shows much promise as a medicine, it remains illegal in many parts of the world. Classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States and a Schedule II drug in Canada.

On the other hand, the FDA recently approved a request to trial a pharmaceutical version of CBD in children with rare forms of epilepsy. The drug is made by GW Pharmaceuticals and is called Epidiolex.

According to the company, the drug consist of “more than 98 percent CBD, trace quantities of some other cannabinoids, and zero THC.” GW Pharmaceuticals makes another cannabis-based drug called Sativex, which has been approved in over 24 countries for treating multiple sclerosis.

A patent awarded to the U.S. Health and Human Services in 2003 (US6630507) also covers the use of CBD as a treatment for various neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders.

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Scientific research on THC began decades ago in Israel, and has since spread to many countries across the globe. Due to its status as an illegal drug, information about this cannabis compound is hard to come by.

Its discovery in 1964

THC was first isolated and synthesized from the cannabis plant by a scientist called Dr. Raphael Mechoulam in Israel.

As a postdoctoral student in the early 60s, Dr. Mechoulam noticed that the active compounds in morphine and cocaine had been isolated, but no one had isolated the active ingredient in marijuana.

He was in such a rush to conduct his research that he actually broke the law by obtaining marijuana from his friends in the police department. Even with all the hardships, the scientist managed to isolate THC is 1964, marking the start of a long career dedicated to cannabis research.

The discovery of THC paved the way for later discovered and earned Dr. Mechoulam numerous honors, including a NIDA Discovery Award in 2011.

THC is part of more than 60 active ingredients in cannabis

Despite THC being the most recognized ingredients in marijuana, it is just one of many compounds in the plant with known medical uses.

It belongs to a unique class of compounds called cannabinoids. Since Dr. Mecholam’s discovery, more than 60 other cannabinoids in cannabis have been identified.

THC is used in FDA-approved pharmaceuticals

While THC is still illegal in the U.S. and most countries around the world, synthetic versions of the chemical have been legally prescribed for decades.

The first THC-based pharmaceutical, called a Marinol, was developed by a company called Unimed Pharmaceuticals with funding from the National Cancer Institute. In 1985, Marinol received FDA approval as a treatment for chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

Since then, other pharmaceuticals containing THC have been developed. These include Cesament, a synthetic form of THC, and Sativex, a whole cannabis extract administered as an oral spray.

THC can protect brain cells and stimulate their growth

Contrary to the age old story that THC destroys your brain cells, it has been proven to have a number of positive effects on them. Whereas most recreational drugs are neurotoxic, THC is considered to be a “neuroprotectant,” meaning it can protect brain cells from damage caused by things like inflammation and oxidative stress.

Scientists have even shown that THC can promote the growth of new brain cells through a process known as neurogenesis. This effect was first discovered in 2005 by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Xia Zhang, the study’s lead author, noted in an interview with Science Daily: “Most drugs of abuse suppress neurogenesis. Only marijuana promotes neurogenesis”.

Chemicals like THC are found in the body

Following the discovery of THC, scientists went on a decades long search for similar chemicals in humans that might explain its effects. In 1992, Dr. Mechoulam and his team made another breakthrough when they discovered a molecule called anandamide.

Anandamide is one of the few cannabinoids produced in various parts of the body, including the brain. Similar to the way opioids work by mimicking their natural counterparts, chemicals in marijuana mimic naturally occurring cannabinoids called endocannabinoids.

Both anandamide and THC act on pathways in the body called cannabinoid receptors. In the brain, anandamide works to regulate mood, sleep, memory and appetite.

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1. Marijuana slows and stops cancer cells from spreading.

Found in the study, published in the journal of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, it was found that Cannabidoil has the ability to stop cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1. In 2007, researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, reported that CBD may prevent cancer from spreading. They used cannabidoil to experiment on breast cancer cells in the lab that had a high level of Id-1. The outcome was positive, the cells had decreased Id-1 expression, and they were less aggressive spreaders.

On another note, the American Association for Cancer Research has found that marijuana actually works to slow down tumor growth in the brain, breast, and lungs, considerately.

2. It prevents Alzheimer’s disease

A 2006 study led by Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute found out that THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. THC slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes them. These plaques kill the brain cells, potentially leading to Alzheimer’s disease

3. Treats Glaucoma

Pot can be used to treat a condition known as glaucoma, which increases the pressure in the eyeball, injuring the optic nerve and causing loss of vision. The National Eye Institute has found that marijuana lowers the pressure inside the eye, “Studies in the early 1970s showed that marijuana, when smoked, lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with normal pressure and those with glaucoma.”

The effects of using marijuana can prevent blindness

3.Relieves Arthritis

In 2011, researchers reported that cannabis reduces pain and inflammation, and promotes sleep, which may help relieve pain and discomfort for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers of the rheumatology units at several hospitals gave their patients Sativex, a cannabinoid-based pain-relieving medicine. After two weeks, they found that patients on Sativex had a significant reduction in pain, and improved sleep quality compared to placebo users.

4. Controls Epileptic seizure

A 2003 study has indicated that the use of marijuana can control epileptic seizures.

Rober J. DeLorenzo, of Virginia Commonwealth University, gave marijuana extract and synthetic marijuana to epileptic rats. The drugs stopped the seizures in about 10 hours. It is fond out that the THC controlled the seizures by binding the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation. These results were published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

5. Eases the pain of multiple sclerosis

Cannabis works to stop the negative neurological effects and muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association suggests that using marijuana may ease painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Jody Cory Bloom studied 30 multiple sclerosis patients with painful contractions in their muscles. These patients didn’t respond to other medications, but after smoking marijuana for a few days, they reported that they were indeed in less pain. The THC bonds the receptors in the nerves and muscles to act as a pain reliever.

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